As a math teacher I am always asked, "Why do we need to know this?" I usually respond with a general answer of, "So you can A) get a good grade on the assignment/assessment, B) pass this class, and C) so you can graduate high school."
You can probably tell that really inspires them and they get to work.
Or not.
So I ask you, loyal readers, to post a comment about how you use math in your daily life and at work. I get that many of you don't use the quadratic equation, but even how basic math skills come into play in your day would be helpful.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated as I try to motivate my students to learn.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Do You Think We Are Idiots?
What is the deal with the Preventive Services Task Force? Mammograms and self-examinations are a key to early detection for breast cancer. You've probably seen a bumper sticker or something like that with "Save the Tatas". Well the Preventive Services Task Force is now saying the opposite.
FoxNews, CNN, and MSNBC...take your pick of news source, all have articles on this nonsense.
"New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say that women age 40 to 49 don't need to have routine mammograms anymore and that breast self-exams aren't recommended in general." (This is from the CNN story.)
If this is what is in store by the powers-that-be who would be a major force in a "Public Option", then that is pretty scary.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Was Your High School Like This?
I graduated from San Marino High School back in 1997. When I attended, the campus was similar to an elementary school. Now, it looks like a college. I haven't been back in a long time, but maybe one of these days I'll go back and take a tour.
I wonder if the "alumni key" (which was an metal hanger) still works to open up the gym?
Thank you Dolf May for the forward link to this video.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Giving Him His Due
(Photo Credit)USC got smoked today, giving them their 3rd loss this season with a few games left. Gone are the hopes of another BCS game. Gone are the hopes of another Pac 10 title.
There are many factors into why 'SC is having an "off year", but this is about giving Pete Carroll, his staff, and his players their due.
Growing up as a Trojan fan, I endured through a long stretch of sucking. Most of my teen years were filled with SC being mediocre at best. SC had long losing streaks versus their rivals Notre Dame and UCLA. But then Mr. Pete Carroll came to campus and things changed.
After going 6-6 his first year in 2001, USC returned to dominance starting in 2002. Since then (not counting this year) USC went 82-9, 6-1 in BCS games, and claiming 2 titles.
In that stretch USC lost ONE (which is the last time it happened) non-conference game during the regular season (2002, at Kansas State, back when they were actually good), and one bowl game (arguably the greatest college football game ever).
USC has always played a tough non-conference schedule, routinely playing BCS division teams (unlike many top teams like Florida, Alabama, LSU, Texas and the like).
So this year it finally catches up to USC. Well, congrats on all the success. And here's to continued success.
There are many factors into why 'SC is having an "off year", but this is about giving Pete Carroll, his staff, and his players their due.
Growing up as a Trojan fan, I endured through a long stretch of sucking. Most of my teen years were filled with SC being mediocre at best. SC had long losing streaks versus their rivals Notre Dame and UCLA. But then Mr. Pete Carroll came to campus and things changed.
After going 6-6 his first year in 2001, USC returned to dominance starting in 2002. Since then (not counting this year) USC went 82-9, 6-1 in BCS games, and claiming 2 titles.
In that stretch USC lost ONE (which is the last time it happened) non-conference game during the regular season (2002, at Kansas State, back when they were actually good), and one bowl game (arguably the greatest college football game ever).
USC has always played a tough non-conference schedule, routinely playing BCS division teams (unlike many top teams like Florida, Alabama, LSU, Texas and the like).
So this year it finally catches up to USC. Well, congrats on all the success. And here's to continued success.

Show & Tell Mishap
I found this story mildly interesting. In Florida, a father decided to bring a 5 foot alligator to his little girl's show and tell at school. On the way there, the alligator jumped out of the truck, but the father says not to worry. One, the mouth was taped together. Two, the alligator doesn't eat during the winter and by the time it needs to eat the tape will work its way off.He did state the obvious which I will translate, "Do not fail the idiot test and try to take the tape off the mouth of a live alligator. You may need help opening jars in the future if you do."
I guess a loose alligator is not to be of concern, at least in Florida. I'm sure the little guy will make his way back to the appropriate "home". But then again, what's not to say he wants revenge for all the trauma he was put through. He eats like a mad gator, training for the confrontation, growing like a weed...then you hear a knock on the back door...
Friday, November 13, 2009
College vs. High School
The original list can be found here.
25. In high school, you do homework. In college, you study.
24. No food is allowed in the hall in high school. In college, food must be provided at an event before students will come.
23. In high school, you wear your backpack on one shoulder; in college, on both.
22. In college, the professors can tell you the answer without looking at the teacher's guide.
21. In college, there are no bells or tardy slips.
20. In high school, you have to live with your parents. In college, you get to live with your friends.
19. In college, you don't have to wait in a certain lunch line to be cool.
18. Only nerds e-mailed in high school. (Cool kids hadn't heard of it.)
17. In high school, you're told what classes to take. In college, you get to choose; that is, as long as the classes don't conflict and you have the prerequisites and the classes aren't closed and you've paid your tuition.
16. In high school, if you screw up you can usually sweet-talk your way out of it. In college, you're lucky to ever talk with the professor.
15. In high school, fire drills are planned by the administration; in college, by the drunk frat boys on their way home when the bars close.
14. In college, any test consists of a larger percentage of your grade than your high school final exams ever did.
13. In high school, when the teacher said, "Good morning," you mumbled back. In college, when the professor says, "Good morning," you write it down.
12. In high school, freshman guys hit on senior girls. In college, senior guys hit on freshman girls.
11. In college, weekends start on Thursday.
10. In college, it's much more difficult to figure out the course schedule of the man/woman you have a crush on, in order to figure out where he/she will be walking around campus and at what time to find them there.
9. Once you've obtained the information described in #10, it's much more time-consuming to run between classes to that place where you know he/she will be in order to "just happen to bump into him/her."
8. In college, there's no one to tell you not to eat pizza three meals a day.
7. In college, your dad doesn't pay for dates.
6. In high school, it never took 3 or 4 weeks to get money from Mom and Dad.
5. College men are cuter than high school boys.
4. College women are legal.
3. In college, when you miss a class (or two or three), you don't need a note from your parents saying you were skip... uh, sick that day.
2. In high school, you can't go out to lunch because it's not allowed. In college, you can't go out to lunch because you can't afford it.
1. You cherish your textbooks much more in college, until you find out that some are worthless when you try to sell them back to the bookstore.
25. In high school, you do homework. In college, you study.
24. No food is allowed in the hall in high school. In college, food must be provided at an event before students will come.
23. In high school, you wear your backpack on one shoulder; in college, on both.
22. In college, the professors can tell you the answer without looking at the teacher's guide.
21. In college, there are no bells or tardy slips.
20. In high school, you have to live with your parents. In college, you get to live with your friends.
19. In college, you don't have to wait in a certain lunch line to be cool.
18. Only nerds e-mailed in high school. (Cool kids hadn't heard of it.)
17. In high school, you're told what classes to take. In college, you get to choose; that is, as long as the classes don't conflict and you have the prerequisites and the classes aren't closed and you've paid your tuition.
16. In high school, if you screw up you can usually sweet-talk your way out of it. In college, you're lucky to ever talk with the professor.
15. In high school, fire drills are planned by the administration; in college, by the drunk frat boys on their way home when the bars close.
14. In college, any test consists of a larger percentage of your grade than your high school final exams ever did.
13. In high school, when the teacher said, "Good morning," you mumbled back. In college, when the professor says, "Good morning," you write it down.
12. In high school, freshman guys hit on senior girls. In college, senior guys hit on freshman girls.
11. In college, weekends start on Thursday.
10. In college, it's much more difficult to figure out the course schedule of the man/woman you have a crush on, in order to figure out where he/she will be walking around campus and at what time to find them there.
9. Once you've obtained the information described in #10, it's much more time-consuming to run between classes to that place where you know he/she will be in order to "just happen to bump into him/her."
8. In college, there's no one to tell you not to eat pizza three meals a day.
7. In college, your dad doesn't pay for dates.
6. In high school, it never took 3 or 4 weeks to get money from Mom and Dad.
5. College men are cuter than high school boys.
4. College women are legal.
3. In college, when you miss a class (or two or three), you don't need a note from your parents saying you were skip... uh, sick that day.
2. In high school, you can't go out to lunch because it's not allowed. In college, you can't go out to lunch because you can't afford it.
1. You cherish your textbooks much more in college, until you find out that some are worthless when you try to sell them back to the bookstore.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
FIVE
Five technology-related things that I would be lost without:
1- TiVo.

See post of TiVo.
2- TV/Remote.
My generation sure does love TV. And TV has only grown in power since then. The remote is a key element. Without the remote, you might as well turn the TV off. I really don't know what people did back in the day. Yikes!
3- Internet
Everyone these days seems to be addicted/dependent on the Internet. So much information available at the touch of a button. Not sure if you are still in the "stone age" of dial up, and if you are, you're probably not an addict. And on the slight chance you are a dial up freak, then you really need an upgrade. Consider that my Christmas gift to you.
4- ESPN
(Photo Credit)
Ah the mother of sports channels. I am claiming all ESPNs on this one. ESPN.com, ESPN2, ESPNews, etc (minus "The Ocho"). If you stay in a hotel that does not offer ESPN on the programming, then you've been had.
5- Dodger Baseball

(Photo Credit)
This is more than just a hobby. This is my #1 passion outside of my faith and my family. If I had to cut back on many things, this would be the last straw. If I could only follow one team (NBA, NFL, MLB, college, etc) this is it. I don't know if I'd say I'm obsessed, but I'm sure some of you would. Good or bad, I'll always love the Dodgers.
1- TiVo.

See post of TiVo.
2- TV/Remote.
My generation sure does love TV. And TV has only grown in power since then. The remote is a key element. Without the remote, you might as well turn the TV off. I really don't know what people did back in the day. Yikes!
3- Internet
Everyone these days seems to be addicted/dependent on the Internet. So much information available at the touch of a button. Not sure if you are still in the "stone age" of dial up, and if you are, you're probably not an addict. And on the slight chance you are a dial up freak, then you really need an upgrade. Consider that my Christmas gift to you.
4- ESPN

Ah the mother of sports channels. I am claiming all ESPNs on this one. ESPN.com, ESPN2, ESPNews, etc (minus "The Ocho"). If you stay in a hotel that does not offer ESPN on the programming, then you've been had.
5- Dodger Baseball

This is more than just a hobby. This is my #1 passion outside of my faith and my family. If I had to cut back on many things, this would be the last straw. If I could only follow one team (NBA, NFL, MLB, college, etc) this is it. I don't know if I'd say I'm obsessed, but I'm sure some of you would. Good or bad, I'll always love the Dodgers.
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